Sunday, April 25, 2010

It's all bullshit if Employee Free Choice Act isn't passed

It's Sunday and this is the day President Obama eulogizes the 29 scab miners who died needless deaths from a preventable explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, WV owned by Massey Energy; the CEO of which should face indictment for man slaughter but more than likely will not and go on his merry way killing gullible scab labor for the greater glory of the shareholders.

As reported by the Washington Post, President Obama plans on ladling out the usual treacle about how these brave men risked their lives, "... all for their families. ...These miners lived - as they died - in pursuit of the American dream." It seems the "American" dream these days consists of owning a nice pick up, a fishing boat, a two-story tract house, an LCD big screen TV and being treated alright by the corporate bastards who own one's soul, q.v.April 7, SimplyErnest.blogspot.com. "Whipped American Worker"

The Washington Post report adds, the president plans on reminding all of we mere mortals, as these 29 martyrs are carried aloft to some coal begrimed Valhalla, "Never forget, they say, miners keep America's lights on." He will then pledge greater vigilance and detail for mine safety so future Upper Big Branch mining disaster will never happen again.

EFCA is a bill that needs even greater legislative priority that "immigration" reform.

The Employee Free Choice Act streamlines procedures for employees to decide on union representation and bargain a first contract. Under this bill, a union would be automatically recognized in a workplace when a majority of employees sign cards stating that they want to be represented by that union. To facilitate agreement on a first contract for employees after the union is recognized, the bill enables either the union or management to refer any disputes about the contract to mediation if an accord has not been reached within 90 days after bargaining begins. If the mediator is unable to reach a deal within an additional 30 days, the dispute will go to binding arbitration with the arbitration agreement binding for two years. Finally, the bill increases penalties for violations of labor law: raising fines, tripling the amount of back wages employees can receive if they are illegally fired or discriminated against for exercising their labor rights, and requiring the courts to seek injunctions against employers, as well as unions, that violate labor laws.TheMiddleClass.org

But the sticking point is the simple "card check" requirement. As usual the forces of reaction, never champions of democracy unless it suits them, have gone into full cry that card check "would effectively eliminate private voting." Of course the suburban white boys who pump out this propaganda have never gone through a National Labor Relations Board union-certification vote. Or if they have they have done so from management's perspective and know that management intimidation, management snitches and ballot stuffing are par for the course.

The sad fact is the American worker is so whipped and brainwashed by thirty plus years of right wing radio and television demagoguery, in the sense of, a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power, that he or she accepts the fact that he or she is fungible. Why do you think corporations and even government agencies have substituted the bureaucratese gobbledygook of "human resources department" for the older and straight forward "employement office?" As the whipped American worker Kevin Lambert says, "They treat me alright."

If Congress and the president do not make progress on the EFCA then these 29 miners will have died in vain.

3 comments:

"Of course the suburban white boys who pump out this propaganda have never gone through a National Labor Relations Board union-certification vote. Or if they have they have done so from management's perspective and know that management intimidation, management snitches and ballot stuffing are par for the course.

Anyone who has gone through an NLRB secret-ballot election knows that it is impossible to stuff ballots and, if it did happen, there would be (at a minimum)another election held.

During NLRB elections, there are union and employer observers sitting in during the election--alongside the NLRB agent (and most NLRB agents are union members themselves [NLRBU]).

Sorry, LaborUnionReport.com, but back in the Seventies I worked at a small scab plastics company that had an NLRB vote.

And, yes, there were management snitches who attended the organizing meeting, then reported every conversation back to the owner. How do I know this? Because the owner came to me and begged me not to vote for the union. He then repeated some of the grievances verbatim I and other workers aired at the organizing meeting. I was going to cast a blank ballot because I was going back to college in the Fall. But the owner's ass-kissing and disclosur of snitches pissed me off. So I cast a "yes" vote.

And some one let the fucking three shift floor supervisors vote. If there were NLRB reps observing the balloting he was fucking cat-napping. Of course the vote was thrown out!

After the NLRB vote, even though I was a short-timer, management when after my young ass and harrassed me from the time I clocked in until I clocked out. I got so tired of the shit I quit earlier than I'd planned.

And of course in the absense of my one vote the scabs won the second ballot.

So don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about! And if every secret NLRB vote went as smoothly as you indict there be a Hell of a lot more union members. That's why card check is needed. Now! And you know it.

Sorry, LaborUnionReport.com, but back in the Seventies I worked at a small scab plastics company that had an NLRB vote.

And, yes, there were management snitches who attended the organizing meeting, then reported every conversation back to the owner. How do I know this? Because the owner came to me and begged me not to vote for the union. He then repeated some of the grievances verbatim I and other workers aired at the organizing meeting. I was going to cast a blank ballot because I was going back to college in the Fall. But the owner's ass-kissing and disclosur of snitches pissed me off. So I cast a "yes" vote.

And some one let the fucking three shift floor supervisors vote. If there were NLRB reps observing the balloting he was fucking cat-napping. Of course the vote was thrown out!

After the NLRB vote, even though I was a short-timer, management when after my young ass and harrassed me from the time I clocked in until I clocked out. I got so tired of the shit I quit earlier than I'd planned.

And of course in the absense of my one vote the scabs won the second ballot.

So don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about! And if every secret NLRB vote went as smoothly as you indict there be a Hell of a lot more union members. That's why card check is needed. Now! And you know it.